Page 26 - Linkline_magazine_Spring_2018_digital_Neat

Box A: Some Comments on NDP Transport Projects
• Roads: The NDP lists a very wide range of road projects, national and regional/urban, spread widely, with a special
emphasis on roads providing accessibility to the north west;
• City Links: As well as the M20 (Cork/Limerick) Road, the NDP mentions the N6 Galway City Ring Road (cost up to €600
million, with completion date of 2025);
• Metro: The NDP envisages a light rail system from Swords, via Dublin Airport to Dublin’s south city centre (operating
in tunnel under the city centre) and onwards to Sandyford using the existing LUAS Green Line, costing €3 billion and
with a completion date of 2027;
• DART: The next provision of fast, high-frequency electrified services to Drogheda on the Northern Line, Celbridge/
Hazelhatch on the Kildare Line, Maynooth and M3 Parkway on the Maynooth/Sligo Line, while continuing to provide
DART services on the South-Eastern Line as far south as Greystones. It will also include new stations to provide
interchange with bus, LUAS and Metro networks; costing €2 billion and with a completion date of 2027;
GOVERNMENT
• BusConnects: BusConnects aims to overhaul the current bus system in Ireland’s cities. The investment will be in
Dublin (€2 billion), Cork (€200 million) and Galway (€200 million); all with 2027 completion dates;
• Airports: A new runway for Dublin Airport by 2021; the provision of a new visual control tower at Dublin Airport;
support for Cork and Shannon airports, and continued Exchequer support for smaller regional airports (Ireland West
Airport Knock, Waterford Airport, Donegal Airport and Kerry Airport);
• Ports Three major capital infrastructure programmes are currently ongoing in Tier 1 Ports, namely Dublin, Cork and
Shannon Foynes. Having regard to Brexit, the NDP notes the importance of continuing investment to further improve
the quality of port facilities, particularly those at Rosslare and the Port of Waterford, and
• Electric Cars: The NDP seeks to have at least 500,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030, with additional charging
infrastructure to cater for planned growth.

Table A lists these projects (it should be noted that not all Delivering the National Development Plan
transport projects in the NDP are named and have a price- The successful delivery of the National Development Plan is
tag). Box A (above) provides some comments on what is crucially dependent on good oversight and effective
expected from these projects. implementation. These are areas where governance
arrangements need to be strengthened. Last Autumn, the
Projects without Price-tags Government received good advice from the International
Table A shows the projects that have a price-tag in terms of Management Fund (IMF) on these matters, in a report titled
investment. There are a number of other projects that are ‘Public Investment Management Assessment’. The IMF made
mentioned in the NDP, but with no price tag. Here are three 27 specific recommendations. On foot of the IMF report, a
such projects: strengthening of governance is promised with the
establishment by the Department of Public Expenditure and
Inter-urban Rail: The NDP does refer to a funding priority for Reform of an Infrastructure Projects Steering Group, with
the inter-urban rail network in order to protect the senior representatives of all of the infrastructure and
investment already made in the national railway system. It investment Departments. In addition, the NDP does promise
went on to state that “This requires a significant level of that further actions will be taken with regard to the
spending directed toward maintenance and rehabilitation implementation of other IMF recommendations.
expenditure to prevent further degradation of the existing
capital stock in order to regain and maintain at a steady-
state”.

Dublin/Belfast Rail: The NDP points out that a feasibility
study of high speed rail between Dublin Belfast, Dublin
Limerick Junction/Cork and an evaluation of its economic
benefits against improvements to existing line speeds will
also be carried out against relevant appraisal processes and
value-for-money tests required under the Public Spending
Code to commence within a year.

Western Rail Corridor: The NPD points out that the Western
Rail Corridor Phase 2 from Athenry to Tuam, and phase 3 to
Claremorris could play an important role in the Atlantic
Economic Corridor. The extension of the WRC could increase
passenger, tourist and commercial use. Specifically, the NDP
states that “In line with the Programme for Government an
independent review will be undertaken immediately. If the
findings of the review are approved by Government, the
project will be prioritised during this plan”. Credit: Irish Rail

26 The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport